Treatment

Proper treatment can prevent long-term complications or problems. Treatment will depend on how serious the fracture is, but may include:

Initial Care

Extra support may be needed to protect, support, and keep your fracture in line while it heals. Supportive steps may include a splint, brace, or cast. A sling may be necessary to help stabilize your arm.

Some fractures cause pieces of bone to separate. Your doctor will need to put these pieces back into their proper place. This may be done:

Without surgery—you will have anesthesia to decrease pain while the doctor moves the pieces back into place

With surgery—pins, screws, plates, rods, or wires may be needed to reconnect the pieces and hold them in place

Children’s bones are still growing at an area of the bone called the growth plate. If the fracture affected the growth plate, your child may need to see a specialist. Injuries to the growth plate will need to be monitored to make sure the bone can continue to grow as expected.

Healing and Rehabilitation

Healing time ranges from three weeks for a simple finger fracture to many months for a complicated fracture of a long bone. All fractures require rehabilitation exercises to regain muscle strength and joint motion.

Possible Complications

Delayed union—It takes longer than usual to heal, but does heal.

Nonunion—The bone does not heal and needs some special treatment.

Infection—This is more likely to happen after an open fracture or surgery.

Nerve or artery damage—This usually occurs as a result of severe trauma.

Compartment syndrome—This is severe swelling in the spaces of the limbs that causes damage to body tissues.

Late arthritis—This may happen if the surface of a joint is badly damaged.

Prevention

You can reduce your chances of getting a fracture:

Avoid putting yourself at risk for an accident or other trauma to the bone.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.